COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP, WLTX) - Prosecutors have rested their case against a South Carolina mother charged in the case of her missing toddler.
Defense attorneys for Zinah Jenningstook up theircase Wednesday afternoon, callingJennings' friendsand family as witnesses, includingher mother.
Jennings is charged with unlawful conduct toward a child. Amir Jennings was 18 months old when he was last seen around Thanksgiving. His mother has refused to tell police where to find him.
In jail house phone calls played by prosecutors Wednesday, Jennings' mother expresses worry about the boy's whereabouts and pleads with her daughter to cooperate with police. Jocelyn Jennings Nelson says in the calls she thought police believed the boy was dead but that she didn't think her daughter would have harmed him.
On the stand later, she explained those concerns - and her inital report to police that Amir was missing - saying that she simply didn't know what was going on.Jennings Nelson also became very emotional when the defense attorney asked ifshe thought shehad been too toughwith Zinah, saying thatshe did think so and that it had killed their relationship.
Jennings faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
